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Amanda Holden thanks Simon Cowell for keeping her on BGT as it 'pays her mortgage'

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 19: (L-R) David Walliams, Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon attend the Britain's Got Talent 2020 photocall at London Palladium on January 19, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/WireImage)
(L-R) David Walliams, Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon attend the Britain's Got Talent 2020 photocall at London Palladium on 19 January, 2020. (Jeff Spicer/WireImage)

Amanda Holden as spoken of her gratitude to Simon Cowell for keeping her on as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent, saying it has “paid my mortgage for years”.

Since the show’s inception in 2007, there have been a variety of different judges on the show, but only Holden and Cowell have remained.

The 49-year-old has now said how grateful she is to Cowell for his decision to not replace her, and spoken of her friendship with the music mogul as well as those with fellow current judges, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams.

Read more: Amanda Holden teases that her BGT blunders might be on purpose

Speaking to Emma Willis during an Instagram Live, Holden said: “For him not to have changed it when he could have done – we do get on very well and you can't fake it that kind of chemistry.”

Talking of her connection with Cowell, she said: "We tell each other everything, I'm very close to him... and I'm really grateful, it's [BGT] paid my mortgage for years."

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 11:  Amanda Holden and Simon Cowell attend the press launch for the new series of 'Britain's Got Talent' at ICA on April 11, 2013 in London, England.  (Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage)
Amanda Holden and Simon Cowell attend a press launch for Britain's Got Talent in April 2013. (Mike Marsland/WireImage)

Talking of her and Dixon and the camaraderie between Walliams and Cowell, she went on: "We wear slippers under the desk, we eat food, we wear Spanx...

"And then when David came he pushes all of Simon's buttons, and we got to see that and the relationship between them has lifted the show. So all of us, the four, it works really well – we're so lucky."

Piers Morgan sat alongside Holden and Cowell for the first four series of the talent show.

He was replaced by comedian Michael McIntyre for one series, and a fourth judge was added in the shape of Baywatch actor David Hasselhoff.

Read more: Coronavirus: 'Britain's Got Talent' rescheduled for later this year

Dixon and Walliams then replaced McIntyre and the Hoff in 2012, making up the line-up which has stayed the same ever since.

The latest series of BGT is airing on ITV. Auditions took place before the coronavirus lockdown came into place back in March.

It is hoped the next round, which is yet to be filmed, will be aired later in the year.